Residents of a mobile home park in Barrie who were told they have to leave by the end of July say they aren't going anywhere.
For 20 years, Peter Williams has called the Burton Mobile Park home and despite an eviction notice to be out by July 31, he isn’t leaving.
“They’re not offering us fair market value,” he says. “They're only offering us $3,000 to destroy our homes with our lifesavings in them.”
Mobile home park owner Melchior plans to sell the land for a townhouse development. In April, Barrie council agreed to rezone the land. The company is now required to provide $3,000 to each resident to help cover the moving costs. But resident Frank Ruffolo says it’s too expensive to move and he can't find anywhere to move his trailer to.
“I've had prices between $4,000 and $10,000 to move it,” he says. “Every place we look there are no spots or they won't take a trailer that's older than 10 years.”
Eviction notices were issued a year ago. About 40 people are now refusing to leave and are ready to take legal action.
“There are many legal hurdles they have to pass through before they can evict these people and we hope to stop it,” says lawyer Peter Rosenthal.
He is one of two lawyers prepared to represent the residents. He met with more than 20 of them today and says even though eviction notices have been issued, the residents are legally allowed to stay past the deadline.
“They don't have to leave on July 31 unless there is an eviction order and as of now there is no eviction order and we will resist any attempt to get an eviction order,” he says.
Residents say they know eventually they will have to leave – they just want more time and compensation.
Melchior didn't return a request for interview.
Even though the city has rezoned the land there is still a hearing on the matter set for August at the Ontario Municipal Board. Lawyers representing the trailer park residents say they will be there.
